Augustus e



(No Model.) A. E. ELLINWOOD.

TENSION DEVICE. No. 438,615. Patented Oct. 21, 1 890.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS E. ELLINVVOOD, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGN OR TO LElVlS MILLER, OFSAME PLACE.

TENSION DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,615, dated October21, 1890. Application filed November 12, 1888. Renewed March 20, 1890.Serial No. 344,679. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS E. ELLIN- WOOD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Akron, county of Summit, and

I State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in TensionDevices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to a novel construction of device for regulatingthe tension on a cord as it is drawn from the ball or spool, either byhand or by machine, by which it is used, whether for the binding ofgrain or for other purpose, and it will be understood from the followingdescription and claims, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cord box orholder with my improved tension device applied to its perforated cover.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tension device. Fig. 3 is a similar viewwith the yielding clamp horn or jaw in section. Fig. at is a sideelevation of the device with the outer shell partly broken away; Figs.5, 6, and 7, perspective views of the parts of the device detached andFig. 8 is a side elevation of the shell, looking from the left side ofFig. at.

A indicates an outer shell or casting consisting of a plate having aflange or rim a formed upon one of its sides and extending around it,and having at its open outer end laterallyprojecting perforated ears aa, through which it is secured to the cord box, guide, or other support.This shell is made semicircular in form at one end, the other end beingelongated and extending in right or slightly-diverging lines from thesides of the semicircular portion, as shown, and it is provided with aperforation at a concentric with the semicircular portion thereof andsurrounding said perforation on the inner face of plate with an annularflange or hub A, made, preferably, tapering inward in the form of ahollow frustum of a cone, as shown. The outer expanded end of the shellhas a slot a formed in it, made in an arc of a circle of which theperforation a is the center, and the flange or portion of the shell-rimat said end has a se ries of notches formed in its outer edge at a, fora purpose which will appear. The outer face of this shell has aprojecting spur or horn A made, preferably, in the triangular formshown, rising from a point on the circular portion thereof and on oneside thereof toward its outer end, where it is recessed at a to receivethe overhanging end of a bent or hook-shaped horn b on an inner pivotedplate 13. The plate B is made, preferably, approximating an annular diskin form, but having an arm B projecting from it on one side, said armcarrying the horn or spur b, which is formed upon or otherwise rigidlysecured to it.

The central perforation b adapts the plate to fit and turn on the hub A,resting snugly against the inner face of the plate or side wall of theshell A, with the horn b projecting through the slot 0. The plate isheld in place on the hub A and against the inner face of shell A by aspring C, made, preferably, from a single rod or wire, to which two,three, or more coils c are given at or near the center of its length,which surround the hub A and rest upon the support to which the case Ais fastened, serving to press the plate up snugly against the side wallof said shell. One of the arms of this spring has its end bent upward atc to pass through an eye or perforation at b in the arm B of the plateB, and

the other arm has its end bent outward ate? to adapt it to engage thenotches or teeth a in the flange of shell A, and also as a projectinghandle for effecting the adjustment of said end in the notches a and theconsequent tension of the spring.

The horn b on the plate B is made, preferably, in U shape incross-section, as shown in Fig. 3, and the adjacent face of the horn Aagainst which the horn b presses the cord, may be made concave to matchthe convex face of the face of the horn b; but it is preferred to makeit slightly convex at its lower end, as shown in Fig. 3, so that thecord moving between two convex opposing faces ordinarily will have onlythe clamping action of the cord upon it to resist its passage. The upperend of the horn bis bent so as to overhang the notched outer end a ofthe horn A in such manner that while it can yield to permit a knot inthe cord to readily pass between it and the horn A as indicated in Fig.4, it will prevent the escape of the cord from between the horns orspurs, no matter at what angle of inclination the device may besupported or Whether upon the upper or under side of its support.

By adjusting the spring 0 in the rack a, the horn b Will be pressed withgreater or less force against the horn A and the resistance of saidhorns or spurs to the passage of the cord between them will becorrespondingly increased or diminished, as may be required. The form ofthe horns and the freedom of the horn b to yield adapt the device toreadily permit the passage of a knot in the cord without rendering thelatter liable to be broken.

The device may be attached to the cord-box, as shown, or to any suitablearm or support between the ball or spool and the point of use of thecord.

Having now described my invention, I claim as new- 1. The combination,in atension device, of a fixed plate having on its face a rigid horn orspur and provided with a hollow hub or sleeve through which the cordpasses, a second plate or arm pivoted on said hub and carrying a secondhorn or spur, and a spring operating to press the movable horn againstthe fixed horn for causing said horns to grasp the cord between them,substantially as described.

2. The outer shell or case A, provided with the hollow hub A, slot a andhorn or spur A in combination with the plate 13, pivoted on said hub andcarrying the horn or spur b, proj eeting through the slot 61?, and thespring 0, surrounding the hub A and acting on said horn or spur,substantially as described.

3. The plate or shell A, having the flange a, hub or pivot A, slot ahorn or spur A and rack a, in combination with the pivoted plate B,carrying the horn or spur 1), projecting through the slot a and thespring 0, one end secured to and upholding the plate B, the otheradjustable in the rack a for regulating its tension, substantially asdescribed.

4:. The combination, with the cord-box, of a cord-tension device securedthereto and supported thereon, said device consisting of the shell A,having the slot a and horn or spur A, the plate B, inclosed by andpivoted within said shell and provided with the horn or spur b,projecting through the slot a and the spring 0, engaging said plates andhaving one end adjustable for regulating its tension, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day ofNovember, A. D. 6

AUGUSTUS E. ELLINW'OOD.

Witnesses:

O. L. SADLER, W. K. MEANS.

